AC Abarth 500/Mazda MX5@Bathurst, Wednesday 11th May 2022

[maxilogan]

Really fun and enjoyable race. Had the usual panic moments before the qualify as bluetooth options completely disappeared from my computer. I tried a restart, all to no avail, then decided to go for the easiest of solutions and connect my heaphones with wire, but I already lost half of the qualify time. "Managed" to qualify last after three canceled laps (cut the track).
The start, while crowded was good enough to let me gain some positions, that I promptly lost upon arriving at the Cutting. No worries, I thought, something's going to happen at the Esses, and it actually happened. I was able not to impact anyone and squeezed by while gaining back some positions, then settled around 9th-10th position and tried to be constant without making too many errors.

I was able to catch up with Raul and then with Colin but both times some stupid error let me lose time so I was never able to really battle (and I have to say that also some errors of them did allow me to pass without too much of a hassle).

Towards the end of the race our group was very close and if I hadn't made that error in the Cutting (the second really bad in the race, in the same corner! I won't never learn not to overdo things..) we could've had a great battle all together. Three wide narrow in the Esses, would you imagine it?
Instead, I had to resign watching their battle from far behind, even though this meant they had much higher times than mine and it allowed me to get to the 8th position profiting of Colin's error (really sorry for that Colin!) as I managed to be close enough to do it by trying to be consistent and not making mistakes anymore.

Results here: https://simresults.net/220512-k6J

See you on track next week!

Oh and of course cheers Ernie who deservedly won the race even if he had the wrong car of the lot, cheers to all the podium finishers and thanks Han for hosting the race from a galaxy far far away!

 

[stigs2cousin]

Before I forget (again: Thanks @HF2000 and @Interslice for hosting )

In the end that went a lot less painfull as expected , mainly because it was a mostly solitary experience for me.

Qualifiing went ok though I binned it once, with 20min it´s not so bad to regroup and come up to speed again.

Quite early in the race the grid settled, the faster guys in front and me trailing behind.

Then my "archnemesis " ( the guy who canstantly is 1,5sec faster than me ) decided to spruce things up by crashing, getting left in the dust and than reclaiming his spot.
Next he killed his advantage ( by crashing) and had me sniffing his tailpipe again .
After disappearing in the distance ( I caught up to late on my tyres going out and did some stupid things myself) he started the cycle all over again. (crashed, left behind and come about blazing)
As I couldn´t hold my times (tyres shod and driver had problems concentrating) he almost managed to squeezed by in the last corner which I demolished with my known "tank tactics"

In the end Q4 lead to P4 with a friendly hand from A. Thanks mate, apreciate that

And here the promised " letter to the editor":

I´d like to congratulate the manufacturer of the "famous jumping concrete walls" on a well thought out and manufactured product.
His walls managed to surprise me several times when they jumped out of their ambush and hit my car at the most unexpected places

Well done Sir, a big promise delivered with aplomb

MFG Carsten

 

[Dzul]

Sorry, I love infographics...

 

[maxilogan]

In all this.. what happened to Simon?

 

[Dzul]

In all this.. what happened to Simon?

Good question, I don't really know. He suddenly left / disconnected... at some point there was an odd connection drop when I was chasing Colin 'coz his car went straight into the geometry of the track at the Dipper but suddenly reappeared in front of me drifting into the last corner of the mountain sector. Perhaps that got Simon disconnected? Anybody else noticed that drop?

 

[maxilogan]

Good question, I don't really know. He suddenly left / disconnected... at some point there was an odd connection drop when I was chasing Colin 'coz his car went straight into the geometry of the track at the Dipper but suddenly reappeared in front of me drifting into the last corner of the mountain sector. Perhaps that got Simon disconnected? Anybody else noticed that drop?

I remember you telling that Colin disappeared

 

[Dzul]

I remember you telling that Colin disappeared

Yeah, that was just a weird moment... and one of the few things I said during the race. Actually very little was said during this race at all, by anyone... I guess Bathurst demanded our complete concentration.

 

[JamKart22]

My ping shot up to 330 for a few laps then dropped back down to 30 but wasn't the cause of Simon leaving.

I was following him for a lot of the race. He crashed into the barrier at the top of the hill and as I went past he left the server. Not sure why.

 

[maxilogan]

My ping shot up to 330 for a few laps then dropped back down to 30 but wasn't the cause of Simon leaving.

I was following him for a lot of the race. He crashed into the barrier at the top of the hill and as I went past he left the server. Not sure why.

Quitted in rage? I know what it means

 

[stigs2cousin]

About the "silence on the mountain":

there were complaints about the chatter, so I "shutted up"

MFG Carsten

 

[stigs2cousin]

@HF2000 @Interslice

Whats next?

Bono wants to prepare my testing and training shedule

MFG Carsten

 

[HF2000]

@HF2000 @Interslice

Whats next?

Bono wants to prepare my testing and training shedule

MFG Carsten

Catalunya, multiclass Audi TT/Abarth 500 unless you ask me very, very politely to switch one of them for the MX5.

 

[Dzul]

Catalunya, multiclass Audi TT/Abarth 500 unless you ask me very, very politely to switch one of them for the MX5.

Does it count if others ask nicely?

 

[stigs2cousin]

Catalunya, multiclass Audi TT/Abarth 500 unless you ask me very, very politely to switch one of them for the MX5.

Oh Han, what a

bizarre

curious

stupid

malevolent

irritating

interesting idea

Well then Audi it is.

Bono is already on his laptop( and really underwhelmed by my performance )


MFG Carsten

 

[Dzul]

Question: are we officialy moving away from the MX5 Cup Han @HF2000 ? I'm open to new cars, no problem. But I was wondering if we then could keep the option of a RWD car still, since the 500 is FWD? Would it be an option to swap the Audi as well, for a similar RWD for example? Just thinking out loud.

I was looking for the Abarth 124 Cabrio (to keep it in the family) but I'm not able find it. on RD. Just a dodgy link on YouTube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbUZhI4oRWo)

 

[HF2000]

Question: are we officialy moving away from the MX5 Cup Han @HF2000 ? I'm open to new cars, no problem. But I was wondering if we then could keep the option of a RWD car still, since the 500 is FWD? Would it be an option to swap the Audi as well, for a similar RWD for example? Just thinking out loud.

I was looking for the Abarth 124 Cabrio (to keep it in the family) but I'm not able find it. on RD. Just a dodgy link on YouTube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbUZhI4oRWo)

Hi Raul,

No I have no plans to stop with the MX5 as it's a car loved by many.
The Wednesday events will have the Mazda sometimes accompanied with the Abarth or in multiclass with the Audi.

The Fiat 124 is an Italian copy of the MX5 as far as I know.

 

[HF2000]

Next week event:

https://www.racedepartment.com/threads/mazda-mx5-abarth-500-barcelona-wednesday-18th-may-2022.232165/

 

[HF2000]

Yipee, even though the Mazda rotters paid for a professional race driver.

View attachment 566112

I was as chuffed to bits, but then when I saw Flavio in a rotter of a Mazda closing fast; Normally I would have conceded, but it was for the honour of the Abarth, fought my hardest on knackered tyres and the race gods looked favourably on me, I had a lot of luck and needed it too.

When I saw Flavio in the race I knew my days were numbered, from last night in the Ferrari 458 race.

Well done podiums, especially the Abarth.

View attachment 566113

Hi Ernie, so the Abarth has high tyre wear, even with hards?
For the Barcelona race this Wednesday I will set tyre wear to 5% so the Abarth won't have that disadvantage anymore.

 

[Kek700]

I think I had my day, grateful for that too, not sure the little Italien wonder machine with me driving will see that again. maybe Le Mans is my next hope full day for my 15 min of Abarth fame.

 

[HF2000]

I think I had my day, grateful for that too, not sure the little Italien wonder machine with me driving will see that again. maybe Le Mans is my next hope full day for my 15 min of Abarth fame.

Well, I did some testing on the Barcelona track and I'm now slightly faster with the Abarth.